Brachyscome plant named ‘Bonbra7115’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Brachyscome  plant named ‘Bonbra7115’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit, bushy growth form; numerous inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; bright yellow-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Brachyscome×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BONBRA7115’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Brachyscome plant, botanically known as Brachyscome×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bonbra7115’.

The new Brachyscome plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new mounding Brachyscome plants with unique and attractive ray floret color.

The new Brachyscome plant originated from a cross-pollination in August, 2004 in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia, of a proprietary selection of Brachyscome×hybrida identified as code number 00-127.1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Brachyscome×hybrida identified as code number 00-147.6, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Brachyscome plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in April, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Brachyscome plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since May, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Brachyscome plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Brachyscome have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bonbra7115’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bonbra7115’ as a new and distinct Brachyscome plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit, bushy growth form.     -   3. Numerous inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane.     -   4. Bright yellow-colored ray florets.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Plants of the new Brachyscome differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachyscome have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Brachyscome and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Brachyscome differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachyscome are more compact and bushier         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Brachyscome have smaller leaves than plants         of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Brachyscome can also be compared to plants of the Brachyscome angustifolia ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,889. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Brachyscome differed primarily from plants of ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachyscome were narrower than plants of         ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Brachyscome had slightly smaller         inflorescences than plants of ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’.     -   3. Plants of the new Brachyscome had more ray florets per         inflorescence than plants of ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’.     -   4. Plants of the new Brachyscome and ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’         differed in ray floret color as plants of ‘Billabong Mauve         Delight’ had light purple-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Brachyscome plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Brachyscome plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonbra7115’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Bonbra7115’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under commercial practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 28° C. and night temperatures averaged 20° C. Plants were five and four months old when the photographs and description, respectively, were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Brachyscome×hybrida ‘Bonbra7115’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Brachyscome×hybrida identified as code number 00-127.1, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Brachyscome×hybrida identified as code number 00-147.6, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and upright plant             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching             growth habit and bushy plant form; pinching enhances lateral             branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 20.2 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 34 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14.2 cm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Aspect: Upright to outward. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 138A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 7 mm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Acute to somewhat obtuse.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Lobed.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138C; venation, close to 138C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and habit.—Single composite inflorescence form             with ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum; inflorescences borne above the foliar plane;             uniform and freely flowering habit with about 45 open             inflorescences per plant at a time; inflorescences face             upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants flower from spring through autumn             in Japan; flowering continuous during this period; early             flowering habit, plants begin flowering about 50 days after             planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two to             three weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 4.4 mm. Diameter: About             3.9 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 6D.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Height: About             6 mm. Diameter of disc: About 6.3 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity/arrangement: About 32 in one or two             whorls. Length: About 5.7 mm. Width: About 1.4 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 7A. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 8A. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 3C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 4D.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity/arrangement: About 50 massed at             center of receptacle. Shape: Tubular, elongated; five-lobed.             Apex: Acute. Length: About 4.1 mm. Width: About 1.1 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature: Close to 14A.             Color, mature: Close to 6D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: About twelve;             bracts imbricate. Length: About 3.2 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Rounded. Margin: Entire,             ciliate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.8 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen length: About 2.5 mm. Anther length: Less than             1 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 7B.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 7B.             Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Pistil length:             About 2.4 mm. Style color: Close to 7A. Stigma shape:             Bi-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 2B. Ovary color: Close to             145B.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Brachyscome. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Brachyscome have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Brachyscomes. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Brachyscome have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Brachyscome plant named ‘Bonbra7115’ as illustrated and described. 